Spinning apparatus



Dec. 14, 1954 H. J. MCDERMOTT SPINNING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1952 INVENTOR. HENRY (J. MCDERMOTT ATTORNEY- Dec. 14, 1954 H. J. MCDERMOTT 2,696,637

SPINNING APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HENRY J MCDERMOTT' ATTOREX Dec. 14, 1954 H. J. MODERMOTT 2,696,637

SPINNING APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. HENR Y J. MCDERMOTT United States Patent SPINNING APPARATUS Henry J. McDermott, Collingdale, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application March 8, 1952, Serial N 0. 275,483

16 Claims. (Cl. 18-8) This invention relates to the spinning of artificial filaments and particularly to the spinning of a yarn of filamentary material into a concurrently-moving stream of liquid coagulant or other hardening solution. The present invention arises out of a long standing need for improved equipment for manufacturing yarns of relatively heavy denier, such as rayon tire cord, and is therefore hereinafter described with respect to the viscose process for spinning regenerated cellulose yarn.

It is an object of the present invention to produce higher quality yarns of artificial filaments, particularly regenerated cellulose yarns of heavy denier such as those used in tire construction, at spinning rates substantially greater than those employed in current production practice. It is another object to provide an improved apparatus of the type comprising a substantially horizontal tube for conducting a freshly spun yarn and a concurrent stream of hardening liquid away from a spinneret. .A highly important object is to provide a small compact closed system for supplying coagulant to a horizontal spinning tube in which the pressure of the coagulant may be varied in accordance with changes of spinning speeds or other operating conditions. Still another object is to provide a spinning apparatus of the type having a heatexchanging system for heating the spinning solution prior to the spinning thereof wherein the heat-exchanging relationship may be promptly terminated upon the occurrence of a spinning stoppage such as that resulting from power failure. It is also an object to provide an apparatus for wet-spinning artificial yarns through liquidconducting tubes which may be readily laced and of which the spinnerets may be readily mechanically moved into and out of operative position without any danger of fouling resulting from the adherence of viscose material to the face of a spinneret. Another object is to provide a multiplespinneret spinning machine comprising spinnerets v and a system for heating the spinning solution prior to spinning, the machine being substantially enclosed to provide protection from spray and fumes. A further object is to construct such a machine so as to be readily observable from outside an enclosure therefor having a transparent wall and to provide mechanism accessible from outside such an enclosure to move a spinneret to an inoperative position while simultaneously suspending the operation of the system for heating the spinning solution. Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention and the drawing relating thereto in which Fig. l is an elevation partially in section of apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section showing the construction in detail of the pivotal connection of portions of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of one end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the other end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section showing a modification of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section along line VllVIl of Fig. 8, of still another modification of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, taken along line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7;

2,696,637 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 Fig. 9 is a view, partially in section, of a modified apparatus;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 9; and r Fig. 11 is an elevation in section of a modified device for determining the pressure within a spinning unit.

In brief, spinning apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises essentially a spinneret, a conduit for feeding a spinning liquid thereto, a housing connected with a reservoir for liquid coagulant or other hardening liquid, structure for pivotably supporting the spinneret and the conduit whereby the spinneret may be swung into position adjacent the entrance to a spinning tube which extends into the housing, and a closure associated, and moving, with the spinneret and the conduit for closing an aperture of the housing through which the spinneret is swung into said position to force the hardening liquid supplied to the housing to pass through the tube carrying with it the filament-forming material discharged from the spinneret. In a preferred embodiment, a hardening liquid supplied to the housing is heated, a container is provided for receiving the liquid as it passes from the spinning tube to collect as a bath within the container, and theconduit comprises a section which is lowered into the container below the level of the path whereby the spinning solution may be heated prior to being discharged from the spinneret. Further refinements of the invention are hereinafter described.

A portion of a spinning machine in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises an elongate tank 5 having a wall 6 and a plurality of spinning units 8. This wall has re-entrant portions as shown in Fig. 2 corresponding to each spinning station and the unit disposed therein for spinning a yarn. The apparatus is adapted to spin a multiplicity of yarns from spinning units which are preferably similar and spaced lengthwise of the tank 5.

The unit 8 comprises a housing 9, an arm 10 pivotably mounted on the housing 9 for supporting a spinneret 11 and a rounder or coiled duct 12, and a tube 14 extending through and secured within a wall or projection of the housing. The interior of the tube is aligned normally with the face of the spinneret 11 when the spinneret is dis posed in its normal operating position. The interior of the housing 9 is connected by a duct 16 to a large header or manifold 17 which extends along the bottom interior of the tank 5. As shown, the duct 16 is connected into the lower portion of the housing 9. Mounted within the housing above the junction of the duct 16 and the housing are a pair of orifice members 18 and 19 contoured to fit the inner surface of the housing and apertured to obtain evenness in the flow of liquid upwardly through the housing toward a spinneret 11. The lower member 18 has a large central aperture and is supported within the housing by means such as a shoulder 18a; the member 19 has a disc portion having a large plurality of small apertures and also a flange portion to space its disc portion from the member 18. gages the inner wall of the housing to hold the orifice members 18 and 19 against the pressure of liquid passing therethrough.

As the present invention contemplates the operation of a large number of such units simultaneously from a single header 17, liquid retarding members 18 and 19 are placed in each housing for the purpose of permitting a controlled supply of coagulant or other hardening liquid to flow to the spinneret and through the tube 14. However, since the operation of such a machine involves the maintenance of a pressure of, for example, in the range of 10 to 20 inches of liquid head, and frequently during the operation of the machine one or more of such housings will be independently opened by raising of respective arm 8, the member 18 of an opened housing in this event, retards the escape of liquid from the supply header 17 through the opened top of the housing. Such restriction prevents substantial reduction of pressure maintained in the header. As a result, the hardening liquid may be fed to the other units of the machine remaining in operation at substantially uniform pressure.

A baflie member 21 is supported in the housing 9, just above the circular spring 20. The baflle member has A ring spring 20 frictionally en-' "a"'spl it-"ring spring portion 22'which frictionally engages the lnner. surface of thehousing- .to....hold ..themember. at a desired position. The baffle portion 23 is inclined in the general manner shown to channel the liquid pass- .mgaupwardly within the housing away from the. spinneret. The purpose of deflecting the liquid inthis manner is-to. cause .the liquid -to. give up anyair or other gas to a gas bleeding device as the liquid .traversesthe reg1on-irnthe upper portion of the housing before traveling downward into theyicinity. of the spinneret. The presence-of gas bubblesin the-coagulating liquid is detrimental. to the formation of first quality yarn.

The housing 9: comprises anelongatevertical chamber -24.and.a horizontally-extendingbore defined by the cylin- ;drical:.w'all 25. adapted to house a sleeve-26. The-sleeve .is provided .withacentral passageway- 27..that is..tapered within. the portion. of the. sleeve nearest the spinneret. EThe end portion of. a. sleevei27 farthest from the spin- .neret is-counterbored. coaxially with the. passageway. 27 -to permit insertion of the tube.14 witlrthe end thereof -againsta shoulder. 28. of the sleeve. The .tube 14,- pref- .erably consistingof. glassor. other transparent material, :hasanexteriorly threaded ferrule. 29. inthreaded relationship witha complementary. bore of the .sleeve 26v enabling thetube to..ble. quickly installedor. replaced. .The sleeve 7 .itselfiis exteriorly .threaded to enable it to be quickly replaced within the portion 25 of .thehousing. .The inner diameterof-f the. tube 14I-is preferably the. sameas that of the .passageway 27, particularly at thepoint of juncture ;therewith,I to avoid disturbance in the, flow of .liquid through the passageway andthe tube.

Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative construction-for conducting coagulant and yarn fromv portion 25 of. the housing 9-. lnsteadrof the sleeve 26 employed as shown in.F ig. 1, a tube 14b having a flared portion 31 positioned adjacent the. spinneretll, is supported within the. horizontally-extending portion 25 of the housing. The tube 14b-is.aligned coaxially, and. normally with respect to-the face of the spinneret 11.by. a threadedferr'ule29bin .threaded relationship with the-interior threads of a coupling 32. The coupling 32 has. exterior threads enabling itto, be screwedinto .the interiorly-threaded portion of the horizontalextension 25 of the housing.

Referring'now'to Figs, 1 and 2, the horizontal. extension 25 of the housinghasextending from its upper surface a; pair ofprojections. 34 and35 which with a hollow shaft 36.const itute'parts'of the, pivot joint. for Jsupportingthe arm in a manner hereinafter described in greater ldetail;with' respect to' Fig. 3. .The arm 10 'is' rigid and-comprises: an. archediportion 49 extending between thepivot axis of the" arm and'a closure portion 50 thereof, and an extension 51 of the arm which projects. into the housing. 9 when the arm occupies its operative'position. The closure 50 has a tapered annularsection which seatswithin an upper apertured circular edge-portion'53' of: the housing. As shown in fig. 1, the axis ofthe pivot jointfor the arm .10- is spacednlaterallyfrom. theopening of the housing 9 as idefi'ned by the circular edge-portion 53 approximately within the .general plane of theopening. 'The tapered section of 'theclosure is grooved to accommodate a "sealing ring 52.. The armisprovidd with a duct 48 which extends .therethrough from av lateral surface of'the "section 49Jthrough a'threaded.projection'54 of the arm into communication with the spinneret 11. Coupling 55 is applied to the threaded projection 54 to secure the spinneret tothe arm over one terminus of the passageway-48. 'The rounder 12 is connected in communication with the other terminus of the passageway by-a coupling '57 which, is exteriorly threaded-for threaded relationship with a complementary recess extending laterally into the P arm. 'The arm 10 and the rounder 12 may be swung "fromthe position shown in full line into the position of the arm illustrated in "dotted outline without any binding of the closure with the edge-portion 53 of the housing. It will be noted that thespinneret 11 faces downwardly at all' positions along'its path in moving from itsoperative position as illustrated to a position partly indicatedin dotted outline. Thus, thefilamentforming 'material'extruded from the spinneret never has "anopportunity to run back on the face of the spinneret, and the-spinneret is entirelyfree from fouling which "might result from adherence of the filament-forming material to the spinneret face.

'Since the housing continues to receive coagulant from the header 17-irrespective of whetherthespinneret is'in operative position or not, the housing is normally full of. coagulant ..when.the..arm..and. spinneret is swung. from its raised position to the operative position. The spinneret is submerged within the coagulant as it enters the housing during the last 30 or 40 degrees of travel between the above-named positions. In this manner, the initial setting of the filament-forming material leaving the spinneret to form a yarn is assured before the spinneret arrives at the normal operating position in front of the flared entrance to the sleeve. 26 and before the extruded material is forced into the tube 14 by a current of coagulant. As the arm is lowered to;operative:position, the face of the spinneret becomes more-nearlyvertical. -.Submersion of the. spinneret before. the. face reaches a vertical plane assures the coagulation of the filamentforming material being extruded before the spinneret reaches positions in which there might be some tendency for the material to adhere to the spinneret face.

'Smce'a small-amount of' gas or air normally separates from-the coagulant within. the. housing 9, provisioniis made to -bleed off; such gas from the upper portionthereof. This may be done by a small aperture of any sort since any leakage of coagulant from the! housing drains into. the .tank- 5v and, when occurring in small amounts, .is not objectionable. However, in'the arrangement. shown inFigs. 1 and 2, there is no leakage. A

threaded aperture extends through the housing wall ust. below the. seat: for the closure 50. The aperture receives an elbow-fitting: 60 which is aligned to support an. upwardly-extending transparent tube 61. The tube 61has sufficient length to. adequatelycover the working rangeof. thev liquid head or pressure maintained in the header. 17. andthe. housing 9. The tube 61 thus functions as. av sight gaugeand. as a. ductthrough which gas may passfrom the housing.

The strand 65 discharged from the spinning tube .passesover theliquid stripping device 66 which' may comprise, as shown, a seriesof parallel blades 67 having upper rounded edges which gently engage the-strand to. separate the: liquid. therefrom. Liquid passes downwardly-from thedevice 66 into the. tank 5. The.coagulant at..this.. stage.v has lost very little of its, heat when passing. through thesupply. header. 17, duct 16-, and the housing9' and'is satisfactory. as a heating medium for vis- COS 6:S0h1t10I1.0I other filament-forming materialpassing through therounde1112. The operation of the apparatus herein described is. not. restricted to any narrow range of temperatures. Rayon yarn of satisfactory quality has been. obtained by operation. of apparatus constructed according. totheinvention-when the. temperature of the liquid, coagulant supplied thereto was approximately 65 C. The solution reaches the tank 5 at a temperature that may be two or three degrees lower. The solution is maintained at a. predetermined level within the tankby means such as the overflow pipe 68 shown in Fig. 1.

The length of" the rounder. 12 is such that its heatexchanging relationship with the bathin tank 5 heats the viscose solution to approximately 50 C. Viscose solution sets up rapidly when subjected to the temperature of the bath. It is necessary, therefore, that the rounder l2be removed from. the bath-in. tank 5 as soon as possible should a' failure of the viscose pumping system occur. Thus, it is an important feature of the present invention to' provide structure such as hereinbefore described whereby a rounder may be instantly removed from the heating medium. On occasions when the arm and the rounder are swung to an inoperative position and the pumping system continues to operate, the material extruded from the spinneret is discharged into a box or receptacle 70 which fits loosely within a pocket formed above a horizontal section 25 of the housing 9.

The spinning unit 8 is operated normally in conjunction with other yarn processing equipment such as that shown comprising a pair of godets 71, 72 which snub the yarn as it passes from the godet 71 toward a rotor 73 operated' at a higher peripheral speed than the godets 71 and 72 to stretch the yarn as it passes toward the rotor 73. As shown in the drawing, a trough 74 extends along the path of the yarn between godets 71 and the rotor 73. A regenerating liquid which may be merely heated water is passed lengthwise within the trough counterby steam and be operated as a drying means. However, the rotor 73 and the godets 71 and 72 may constitute a yarn-stretching system preceding further treatments of the yarn when the rotor 73 is operated at a peripheral speed greater than that of the godets 71 and 72. The rotor 73 represents any type of thread-storage and thread-advancing mechanism, such as a thread-advancing reel of conventional design, or one roll of a pair of rolls having relatively canted axes.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along the pivot axis of the arm showing the construction of the pivotal connection of the arm to the housing 9. The joint, as illustrated, is constructed with several objectives in mind, namely:

(1) making a pivotal connection with a supply duct 44,

(2) constructing the unit 8 and an enclosure in which the unit is mounted so that, by structure of the unit extending, or accessible from, outside the enclosure, the arm 10 may be raised to carry the rounder 12 out of the bath within the tank 5 and to position the spinneret outside the housing 9 without the necessity for opening and entering the enclosure,

(3) to provide a brake mechanism for holding the arm in any desired position within its swinging ambit, and

(4) to provide a sealed joint whereby the fluids to which the unit is exposed can not leak through the joint into the region exterior of the enclosure and the tank.

In Fig. 3, an assembly is illustrated which turns with the arm 10 and comprises a tube 80 forming a part of the duct system for conducting the filament-forming solution from the supply tube 44 to the rounder 12, an interiorly and exteriorly-threaded fixture 76 having a nut portion 77 of polygonal periphery and a rounded end-surface 78. Also turning with the arm is the general,- ly tubular member 36 having a bearing surface 81 extending through a bushing 82 of the housing projection 34, a section 83 having a peripheral surface of hexagonal cross section which fits a complementary passageway extending through the pivotable end-portion of the arm 10, a bearing surface 84 having a diameter slightly larger than that extending between diametrically opposite points of the section 83. The bearing surface 84 extends through a bushing 85 which fits within an aperture through the projection 35 of the housing 9. The bushings 32 and 85 comprise an acid-resistant material such as hard rubber.

The member 36 has a generally cylindrical housing portion 86 hollowed out to accommodate the structure necessary for establishing a pivotable connection of the threaded sleeve-like fixture 76 with a non-rotatable element 87 secured to the end of the duct 44. The element 87 is generally drum-shaped with a recessed end-surface to receive the rounded surface 78. The element 87 has a recess at the other end to receive the end-portion of a clamping screw assembly comprising a hollow screw 41,

a spring 88 and a pressure pin 89. The fixture 87 is maintained in connection with the surface 78 by screwing the nut 41 inwardly of an interiorly threaded cap portion 92 of the member 36 until the pressure P111 resiliently engages the recessed surface of the fixture 87. The cap portion 92 of the member 36 is secured integrally to the housing portion 86 as by welding. The entire member 36 may be fabricated, if desired, from a single piece of material. The screw 41 is turned until the spring 89 is under considerable compression as it bears on a shoulder surface 93 of the pin. A set screw 90 in threaded engagement with the cap may be tightened against the screw 41 to maintain its adjustment. The cap portion 92 has a hexagonal surface 92b to which a crank or socket wrench may be attached to swing the arm 10 and other parts fixed thereto into or out of operating position.

The member 36 is prevented from moving in an axial direction with respect to the housing projections 34 and 35 by being accurately constructed to a desired length between a shoulder surface 94 and an end surface 95. When a nut 96 is tightened against the surface 94, the member 36 moves lengthwise of the tube 80 until the surface 95 bears tightly against the surface of a washer 97. The washer 97 is slotted across its outer face to receive in interlocking relationship there with the diametrically opposed flat surfaces of a cap 98 attached to the tube 80 as by welding. This relationship of the washer 97 and the cap 98, further illustrated in Fig. 5, causes the washer to turn with the arm 10 and to bear loosely against the side surface of projection 34. The

end surface 95 is annularly recessed to receive a resilient washer 99 wh1ch prevents acid solution or other liquid from entering the clearance between the tube and the tubular member 36. Movement of the rotatable assembly in an axial direction toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, 1s prevented by engagement of the shoulder 101 of the tubular member 36 with a side surface of the pro ectlon 35 surrounding the bushing 85. The bushing is recessed to receive a resilient seal ring 102 which prevents acid solution from seeping through the clearance between the bushing 85 and the member 36 to a point outside of the region enclosed by the tank wall 6.

Therefore, with the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 assembled as hereinbefore described, the arm 10 may be swung between the positions shown in Fig. 1 about the longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft or member 36 and the tube 80. As a consequence of the interlocking relationship of the polygonal section 83 of the member 36 with the complementary passageway of the arm, the member 83 is rotated by any swinging movement of the arm. The tube 80, the washer 97, the cap 98, the fixture 76 and the nut 96 also rotate with the arm 10, but mainly because of the torque applied to the cap 98 by the duct or rounder 12, the latter having one end-portion secured within the cap 98 and its other end-portion secured within a portion of the arm 10 as shown. Additional torqueapplied to the tube 80, the washer 97, etc., tending to make it turn with the member 36, is derived by the frictional contact of the washer 97 and the nut 96 with the surfaces and 94, respectively, and easily overcomes any opposing torque tending to hold the tube 80 from turning as the result of friction between the surface 78 and the non-rotatable fixture 87.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the spinning unit 8 is provided with a brake mechanism for holding the arm 10 in any desired position along its swinging ambit. An important feature of such a mechanism is that it be free from any lost motion or flexibility of the type that would produce resiliently stored torsion force tending to back the arm away from a position to which the arm is moved. For example, it is highly desirable that the arm firmly hold its position when moved to the position wherein its movement is stopped by the seating of the closure 50. Furthermore, the brake must be capable of holding the arm 10 from force exerted by the pressure of the liquid coagulant within the housing 9 against the closure 50. To obtain these results, the tubular member 36 is formed with a drum surface 105 of slightly smaller diameter than the adjacent peripheral surface of the member 36. A pair of brake shoes 106 and 107 are urged toward each other in engagement with the surface 105 by compression springs 109, 110, 111 and 112 supported on a pair of tap bolts 114 and 115 which extend slidably through the shoe 107 and into threaded relationship with the shoe 106. The shoes 106 and 107 are held from turning with the engaged surface 105 by a T-shaped member 117 and a stop assembly 118 comprising a bifurcate bracket 119 attached to the spinning machine by means such as a bolt 120. This bolt extends through the wall 6 and also through a portion of the housing 9 to provide means for attaching the housing to, and supporting it within, the tank 5. The bracket has set screws 121, 122 extending into slidable contact with the shank portion of the T- member 117. The bolts 114 and 115 extend slidably through apertures in the cross arm of the T-member 117.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a unit 8a that is modified in several respects when compared with the unit 8 illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2. Portions of the unit 8a that are generally similar to portions of the unit 8 are designated by the same numerals with the addition of the letter a. The unit 8a comprises a housing 9:: of construction generally similar to that of the housing 9 of unit 8. The upper portion of the housing 9a, however, is provided with a shoulder 125 and an annular liquid retainer 126 having an upturned flange which is slotted at 127. When the closure 50a is displaced with respect to its seat along the upper edge of the housing, liquid fed into the housing is discharged through the slot at 127. The retainer 126 is rotatable about the housing to direct the fluid in any direction therefrom desired. A

An important feature of the unit 8a is structure whereby the flared feed-end of the tube 14a may be disposed in an axially overlapping position with respect to the spinneret 11a. The amount of overlapping desired may extend to any degree short of engagement of the end ofithe tube withthe portion neret.

-zontal housing portion 25a.

pivotal axis. of the piston 51a; of; the; arm 10a: which extends below therclosure 50a,or with the'coupli-ngT 5.5a.

However; thecondition arises, when overlapping occurs .to any-substantialextent, that the spinneret 11a, and/ or the coupl1ng-55a-w1ll engage the tube 14a if swinging'of the spinneret out of operating position ;is attempted unless. the tube 14a is first moved away from the spin- Assuch movement cannot benormally entrusted 1n. commercial manufacturing practice; to. an operator,

.a mechanical system is provided whereby any movement of the spinneret from its operating position is accompanied by a correspondingmovement of-the tube away from its normal. operating position. As showminFig. 7, the axis of the: pivotjoint for'the arm- 10a, i. e., the axis of the tubes 36a and 80a, is spaced laterally from the opening of theqhousingv Qadefined bythe upper circular edge of -the2housing 9a approximately at the level of the general plane ofthe, opening,

Accordingly, the tube 14a is supported concentrically within a piston. 1-29' by a sleeve or ferrule 128- secured to the outer surface. ofvthe tube 14a. The ferrule extends. centrally or coaxially through the piston and is secured thereto by engagement of; a shoulder 128a with one end surface of the piston and anut 128b-in threaded relationship with an'exteriorly threaded portion of the:

sleeve. and in engagement with the other end surface of the piston. The piston is movable within and lengthwise of a complementary cylindrical surface 130 of the hori- The outer surface of the piston has. a circular coaxial groove 131 in which is held asealing ring 132. This location of the. groove with respect to the length of the piston is not critical as long as it occurs on a portion of the piston which remains within the cylindrical surface 130 at all positions of the arm 10a.

The piston and the tube 14a are traversed length-wise of the surface 130 by operation of a gear chain comprising. circular teeth .134 which may extend as shown entirely around an outer surface of the piston concentric to its axis, teeth.136 10a: and extending parallel to the axis of the hub, and a gear 138 which meshes with teeth 134 and 136. The teeth 136 are distributed over a portion of the hub 137 having an angular lengthof approximately 135 measured from the intersection of a surface 139-with thehub. The surface 139, if desired, may be contoured as shown to provide a stop surfacewhich engages the periphery of the gear 138' to limit the travel of the arm 10a about its The teeth 134 are formed along a length 129 somewhat longer than the toothed surface of the-hub soas to permit adjustment of the piston todifferent positions relative to a selected point on the periphery of the gear 138 or the hub. Bearing projections 34a and 35a of the housing support a pin or shaft 135 which rotatably supports the gear 138 as Well as the axle member 80a and related structure, such as described with respect to Fig. 3, on which the arm 10a is supported.

Inserted within, and supported by, the surface 130 beyond the ambit of the piston 129 is a baflie member 140 of generally cylindrical contour which tends to deflect the liquid entering the bottom of the housing to v.the

upper part of the housing before it enters the region surrounding the spinneret and the interior of the tube 14a. Any air or other gas carried by the coagulant is thus directed toward the top of the housing so it may be discharged from the top portion of the housing before coming into contact with the material being extruded from the spinneret. The member 140 has a larger slot 141- terminating in a smaller slot 142. The slots occur in the upper portion of the member as viewed in Fig. 8 The large slot accommodates with substantial clearance the portion 51a of the arm 10a. The smaller slot receives a pin 144 which positions the member 140 longitudinally as Well as angularly with respect to the axis of the surface 130.

, Gaseous materials are discharged from the housing 911 by any readily-formed duct providing small leakage from the upper part of the housing. Since the unit 8a is supported over a bath for heating a rounder or coiled conduit thereof analogous to the rounder 12 of unit 8, such leakage drains to the bath. As shown in Fig. 7, a small groove 145 is provided along the seat of the housing for the closure 50a.

formed on the hub 137 of the arm:

.terialqmay be-etfecttedithrough an elbow-fitting 146 secured within an apertureextending through a lateral wall of the housing. In threaded relationship with the upper end of the passageway of the elbow is a bushing 147 which provides a seat for a ball 148. The ball, if non-spherical, 'Will not seat precisely and thus provide the leakage required forthe escapeof gasfrom the housing. Shown detached from the fitting 146is a glass gauge tube 151 having secured to its periphery a-resilient plug or collar 152 which may have, as shown, a dished undersurface 153 for engaging-the upper surface of the bushing 147.

firmly on the bushing, liquid promptly rises within. the

tube. Apressure reading of the coagulant passing through the housing is thus obtainable. When removed, the liquid which entered-the tube promptly drains into-the bath tank disposed below the unit and the gaugertube may then be applied to similar gauge-receiving fittings of other units.

. Fig. 11 illustrates an assembly .that may be applied to the various-spinning units hereinbefore described for facilitating the determination of the pressure of the liquid coagulant with the spinning chamber of the unit insubstitution of the assembly comprising the elbow' fitting 146, check valve portion associated therewithandfithe gauge tube 151 of Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a partial section of the assembly with the plane of section extending lengthwise of the lengthwise axis of a hollow fixture 185' which has an exteriorly threaded nipple portion 186 which may be screwed into a complementary. aperture in the top portion of anyof the spinning units described. The normal orientation of the fixture is with its axis extending vertically and the plug 187 disposed downwardly from a drumshaped float 188 held within the float chamber 189 of the fixture. Thefloat is preferably hollow so that it may be constructed of any materialto be buoyant within the particular coagulating liquid employed. Surrounding the upper-outlet of the chamber 189 is an annular flange 190 against which the float seats when the chamber issubstantially filled with liquid. The float may be forced away from the flange by inserting a gauge tube 192 into the upper outlet of the chamber until it engages and displaces the float. The gauge tube is provided with a bushing of rubber or other resilient material which seats within the recess or enlarged portion 193 of'the outlet withinthe upper portion of the fixture 185. If a small amount of constant leakage from the fixture is desired, theflange 190 may be groovedat 194.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate another embodiment of the invention illustrating a convenient and practical structural arrangement of apparatus of a type employing a horizontal spinning tube for the wet-spinning of filamentary yarn. This apparatus comprises a primary support member having a pair of parallel projections or bosses 161, 162 between which an arm 163 is pivotably held'by a set screw 164 extending in threaded relationship through the projection 162, and a hollow. boss 165. The member 160' also has a circularly-shaped passageway 166 which forms a portion of the chamber surroundingthe flared-end portion 167 of a tube 169 and a spinneret 170 when the spinneret is positioned for operation. The chamber is further formed by a pair of caps or annular members 171, 172 which fit along annular oppositely-facing areas of the member 160 surrounding each endof the passageway 166. The cap 172 is centrally apertured and interiorly threaded to receive a threaded ferrule 174 secured to the periphery of the tube 169. The thread of the ferrule enables the adjustment of the tube in-a lengthwise direction whereby the annular clearance between the interior surface of the tapered tube-portion 167 and the spinneret'may be obtained. The cap 171 is also centrally apertured for insertion therethrough of the spinneret and a coupling 175 which secures the spinneret to the arm or bracket 163. A resilient gasket or washer 182 is provided along a radially-extending annular shoulder of the coupling so that the chamber 166 maybe sealed except for the outlet provided by-the passageway of the tube 169 when the spinneret is swung into operatlve position. As' shown'in' Fig. l0 the pivotalaxis .the cap within. the: general plane of the aperture.

In operating the apparatus of Figs. 9 and 10, it is desirable to have the filament-forming material passing continuously through the spinneret before it is moved into operating position and to have the liquid coagulant passing into the chamber 166 from conduit means indicated by the circle 179. Consequently as the spinneret moves into place but before it is seated, it meets a current of coagulant flowing outwardly from the chamber through the aperture 180 of the cap 171. Coagulation of the filament-forming material being extruded from the spinneret is commenced as it meets the outflowing coagulant and as the spinneret moves into and through the aperture while still in a somewhat downwardly-facing position. Consequently, there is no opportunity for uncoagulated filament-forming material to come into contact with the face of the spinneret and adhere thereto before it encounters the out-flowing coagulant. After coming into contact with the coagulant, the material will no longer adhere to the spinneret face even though pushed thereagainst by the current. As the spinneret reaches operating position, the current of coagulant passing outwardly through the aperture 18% is terminated by seating of a resilient washer 182 against the cap 171; the coagulant then flows through the tube 169 and sweeps the coagulated filamentary material through the tube. In this manner a free yarn end is produced and laced through the tube.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Spinning apparatus comprising a housing having generally vertically-extending chamber and a generally horizontally-extending chamber, a tube, closure means for supporting the tube in generally horizontal-alignment within the horizontal chamber, said tube having an open end adjacent the vertically-extending chamber and an end disposed outwardly of the housing, said vertically-extending chamber having an opening disposed above its juncture with the horizontal chamber, a spinneret, means for supporting the spinneret, the supporting means being movable along a predetermined path to carry the spinneret into and out of the opening, a closure for the opening fixedly associated with the supporting means and spaced therealong from the spinneret to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, said open end of the tube when the closure is positioned for closing the opening, said supporting means comprising duct means for supplying a liquid to the spinneret, and means for supplying a liquid to the lower portion of the verticallyextending chamber.

2. Spinning apparatus comprising a housing, a horizontal tube extending into the housing and terminating therewithin by an open end, the housing having an opening disposed above said open end, means for maintaining a bath of liquid below the level of the tube, a spinneret, a pivotable arm having a hollow portion adapted to move into and out of the housing through said opening, the spinneret being mounted on said arm contiguously with the hollow region therewithin for movement with the arm into and out of the housing, a closure for the opening fixedly associated with the arm and spaced therealong from the spinneret to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, said open end of the tube when the closure is positioned for closing the opening, a duct attached to the arm contiguously with the hollow region thereof at a point further from the spinneret than the closure, a substantial portion of said duct being disposed below the level of the bath when the closure is positioned for closing said opening, and means connected with the housing for supplying the liquid to the interior thereof.

3. Spinning apparatus comprising a tank, means for maintaining a predetermined liquid level Within the tank, the tank comprising wall means extending upwardly from said level, a housing, a horizontally-aligned tube extending into the housing and terminating therewithin as an open end, the housing having an opening disposed above said open end, means for supporting the housing with the tube disposed above the bath level, a spinneret, a pivotal arm, means for pivotally supporting the arm comprising a hollow axle member to which the arm is at tached, stationary journal means in bearing relationship with the member for aligning the member along a substantially horizontal pivotal axis spaced laterally from the opening, said axle member extending through the wall means, said arm having a portion on which the spinneret is mounted adapted to move into and out of the housing through said opening, a closure mounted on the arm and spaced therealong to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, said open end of the tube when the closure is seated'over the opening, duct means extending through the arm from the spinneret at least to a surface of the arm beyond the closure and then into connection with the hollow region of the axle member, means for supplying a filament-forming liquid, means for pivotally connecting the supply means to a portion of the hollow axle member extending outside the wall means, and means connected with the housing for supplying a liquid to the interior thereof.

4. Spinning apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the duct means comprises in part a coiled conduit extend ing from the surface of the arm enclosure into connection with the hollow region of the axle, said coiled conduit being disposed substantially below the liquid level of the tank when the closure is seated in the opening.

5. Spinning apparatus comprising a housing, means connected with the lower portion of the housing for supplying a liquid to the interior thereof, a horizontal tube extending into a portion of the housing disposed above said lower portion, said tube terminating within the housing as an open end, the housing having an opening disposed above said open end, means having an orifice of predetermined size disposed at a level between that of the horizontal tube and that of the connection of the supply means with the housing for restricting the flowing of liquid upwardly through the housing from said supply means, a spinneret, a rigid pivotable arm having a substantially horizontal pivotal axis in fixed relationship with the housing and spaced laterally from the opening, said arm having a portion on which the spinneret is mounted adapted to move into and out of the housing through said opening, and a closure mounted on the arm and spaced therealong to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, the open end of the tube when the closure is seated over the opening, and a duct extending through the arm from the spinneret to a surface beyond the enclosure.

6. Apparatus comprising a housing having an upwardly extending chamber and an intersecting horizontal chamber of uniform cross-section, a horizontal tube extending into the housing through the horizontal chamber and terminating within the housing as an open end, closure means for supporting the tube within the horizontal chamber, the upwardly-extending chamber of the housing having an opening disposed above the open end of the tube, a spinneret, a pivotable arm having a portion adapted to move into and out of the housing through said opening, the spinneret being mounted on said arm portion to be carried into and out of the housing, a closure for the opening mounted on the arm and spaced therealong from the spinneret to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, said open end of the tube when the closure is seated over the opening, duct means associated with the arm and extending from the spinneret through the closure, means connected with the lower portion of the upwardly-extending chamber for supplying a liquid to the interior thereof, and an insertable baffle member having a peripheral surface complementary to the interior surface of the horizontal chamber, said baffle member being slidable lengthwise of the horizontal chamber to a position adjacent the upwardly-extending chamber, said bafiie member having a portion thereof when disposed in said position extending into the upwardly-extending chamber between the connection thereof with the supply means and the open end of the tube.

7. Spinning apparatus comprising a housing, a horizontal tube extending into the housing and terminating therewithin as an open end, the housing having an opening disposed above said open end, means for supplying a filament-forming liquid having a supply terminus disposed exteriorly of the housing, a spinneret, a pivotable arm having a portion adapted to move into and out of the housing through said opening, the spinneret being mounted on said arm portion to be carried into and out of the housing, a closure for the opening mounted on the arm and spaced therealong from the spinneret to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, said open end of the tube when the closure is seated; over the opening, said arm comprising duct means extending ansans? i from the. spinneret' through::the closurewintoconnection with said supply terminus, means connected with the housing for supplying aliquid to the interior thereof, a duct of small cross section extending from the interior of the housing to the exterior thereof adjacent the opening.

8. Spinning apparatus comprising a housing, a horizontal tube extending into the housing and terminating therewithin as an open end, :means for supporting the tube for movement lengthwise of itself relative to the housing, the housing having'an opening disposed above the open end of the tube, a spinneret, a pivotable arm having a portion adapted to move into and out of the housing through said opening, the spinneret being mountedon said arm portion to be carried into and out of the housing, a closure for the opening mounted on the arm spaced therealong' from the spinneret to position the spinneret adjacent to,and 'tacingdnto, .saidqopen end of -.the tube when the closure is seated over the opening, -.duct means associated with the arm and extending through-the closure for supplying a liquid to the spinneret, means for-supplying a liquidto the interior of the housing, means responsive to movements of the arm connected to the means for supporting a tube formovement of. the tube toward and away from the operating posiition of the spin'neret in response to, respectively, movements of the arm into and movements out of the-housing. Spinning apparatus'comprising a housing having an -upwardly-extending chamber and a horizontally-extendiing chamber of uniform cross" section which'joins with ethe other chamber, a horizontal tube, apiston slidably supported withinzthe horizontal chamber for supporting T the tube in horizontalalignmentwith an open-end of the -tube disposed adjacent the other chamber, the housing having an openingin the upwardly-"extendingchamber disposed 'above' the tube; a spinneret, a pivotable arm "having a-portion adapted to move-into and out of the 1 housing through saidopening, the spinneret being-mountedon said arm to'be carried'into and out of the housing,

a closure. for the opening mounted onthe arm and spaced 1 atherealong from -the spinneret to position the spinneret' adjacent to," and facing into said open'end of the tube -whentheclosure is seated over the opening; ductmeans associated with the arm and extending from the spinneret through the closure, meansconnected with .the

.housingtor supplying a'liquid tO- thev interior thereof,=-

-means responsive to movements of the arm and connected to the piston whereby the piston moves toward or away from the. upwardly-extending chamber in- :response to re- ;spectively, movements 'ofthe arm into and movements -outof the housing.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the means for moving the piston comprises a'hub' portion of the arm -concentric with its pivotal axis having peripherally disposed teeth,'said piston having a peripherally" toothed portion -'comprising' teeth extending" with the 1 circumference of the piston and adapted" to beengaged exteriorly .of the housing, and asgearsupportedion.anraxis'parallel to the pivotalaxis of thearm'in mesh with the-teeth of :the hub portion and said :piston-portion.

11; .Spinning apparatus comprising atank :having a lateral wall,imeans for maintaining a predetermined'liquid level within the tank, a=housing, a horizontal-tube extendingrinto :theihousing and terminating 'therewithin as lannopen end, the housing-having =an opening disposed above saidopen end; means for'supporting the-housing 1 with the tubedisposed above said liquid level, a spinneret, a:pivotable arm,'means"for supporting the arm compris- -':ing ahollow axle member to which'the armis-attached, "stationary journal means in bearing relationship withthe "member for aligningthe member along a substantially horizontal pivotal axis spaeed laterallyfrom the open- 'ing, saidaxle'member extending throughsaid lateral -Wall, said arm having aportionon'which thespinneret is mountedadapted to move into andout-of said housing, a closure-mount'ed on thearm and spaced therealong to position the spinneret adjacent 'to, and? facing-into, said open endof the tube when the closure isseated overthe opening, ductmeans extending through the arm from a the spinneret to at least a surface of-the arm'beyond the closure and then into connection with thehollow region of the axle member, means for-supplying a filamentformingfliquid, means fol-connecting the supply. means in a pivotal joint to a portion of :the-axle member extending'outside thelateral---wal1, means connected with the housingtor supplying adiquid to theinterior -thereof,-=

- a'aconcentric surface Zof :said "axlei memben :disposed' outwardly of the lateral wall, xbrakezshoemeansi in: resilient angagement'uwith' thevcO'ncentrica surface,- ;and means -:for

holding the brake shoe? means from-rotating.

ship with the housing andnindaterallyspaced-relationship with the opening to carry thespinnereralong azpredetermined path into and'out. of the' housing throughv the opening, a closure rigidly :connected: to the-supporting means and spaced :therealong. from: the; spinneret to position the spinneret' adjacent to andufacing into, said open end of the tube when .theclosure is seated on said apertured portion 'toclose the. opening, ductzmeans carried 'by the supporting meanscand extending from the spinneret through the closureifor supplying az-liquid-to 'the spinneret, and means'-for supplying a' 'liquidrto the interior of the housing.

14. Spinning apparatus comprisinga housing,i azngenerally horizontally-extendingatube having an :openw'end positioned within the housing, the housin 'g:havin'g anfapertured portion defining an opening spaced fromrsaidmpenend, a spinneret,:rigid:rneans for.:supportingrthet spinneret, the :spinneretbeing irig'idly" attached'a to; the supporting means and the supportingwmeans being 'pivotable with respect to anraxis extendingiin'fixed relationship with'the housing and in laterally-spaced relationship withitheopening to carry the tspinneretrintol and out ofathe-housing through theopening, a ciosure :rigidlyhconnected:tonthe supporting means anda spa'ced' :therealong: from "the .spinneret to position? .thespinneret iadjacentuto," and stating into, said open end .of the. tube when'sthe closure is positioned with respectto: said-'apertured portion: toi closezthe opening, saidwpivotal axis' .being-aspacedw with respectu'to the plane of the openingtotenablea ready separationaof the. closure from: :said.:apertured zhousing portion" by a 1 movement limitedto swingingriof'.sthet supportingiameans about said axis, duct: means 2 carried" bymthe s supp'orting means .and extending from I the aspinneret .through i the closure forsupplying aliquid to theispinneret;fandimeans for supplying aliquid to the interior ofzthe housing.

15. Spinning apparatus comprising. awhousing; azihorizontally-extending tube having :an* open send-positioned within the housing, the housing: having aniapertured por- .tion defining anopening; spaced fromsaid openiend, a

. spinneret,- :meansxfor supporting the spinneretmhe; spinvneretbeing rigidly-attached: toithe supporting meanssand the-supporting means:being-rpivotable:withmespect'to an axis I extending in fixed-relationship with :the housing and in laterally spaced relationship :with the openin'grtoz carry the spinneret. into and out. ofizthei. housing. through: the opening, a -closurewrigidlyaconnected: tothe: supporting Y meansnandmpaced therealong-: fromatherspinneret IOMLPO- sition the spinneretvadja'cent -to andfacing rinto,.-.saidiopen end of the tube when the closureis seated with respect -to said; apertured' portion. to 1 close thezopenin g-, saidi pivotal axis :beingdisposed approximately withinntheep laneaot :the openingto enable readyseparation ofathez closure from said 'apertured housingportion, 'duct' meanslin ffixed'relationship withatheasupporting ameans-sextending tromi the i-spinneret through therclosure torusupplying adiquidoto the spinneret, .and.-means for supplying aliquid-- to the interiorof the housing.

16.:Spinning apparatus comprising. aahousing; aizgenerally horizontally extending tube havingL an'zopeniendpo- 'sitioned withirfiithenhousinghthe housin'gihaving an aper- I tured-portion definingtanopeningr'spacedfrom:said ropen end, a spinneret, means t'or supporting:theflspinneret,ithe

- spinneret 1 being rigidly attached" to ithe supportingvmeans andr-the' supporting: means 'b'eing5rpivotable withmrespect to an axis extending in vfixed relationship lwithi. the housing and'nin: laterally spacedarelaiionship with ithezope'ning to carry .thebspinneret; along. :r prede't'ermined pathirinto and out of thehousing:throughstheiopening, a closure rigvidly connected to'zthesupporting meanszand spaeedtherealong from the spinneret to position the spinneret adjacent to, and facing into, said open end of the tube when the closure is seated with respect to said apertured portion to close the opening, duct means carried by the supporting means and extending from the spinneret through the closure for supplying a liquid to the interior of the housing, a frictional surface associated in fixed relationship With said pivotal axis, and non-rotatable brake means for engaging a frictional surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 

